


Dani, My Champion

by F1_rabbit



Category: Motorcycling RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-08 18:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19475800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: Alex just wants to sulk, but someone has a few words of comfort for him after a bad race.





	Dani, My Champion

“Marc, I told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

Alex pulled the blanket tight around himself, hoping that Marc would take the hint and leave him alone.

“It’s me.”

Alex didn’t have to ask who ‘me’ was, he’d recognise their voice anywhere.

“Dani? What are you doing here?”

“Marc was worried about you, and he thought I might be able to help.”

“I’m fine.” Alex curled into the pillow, torn between wanting to be left alone, and wanting a hug from Dani.

“Really?”

Alex felt the bed dip, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at Dani.

“Really.”

“Because you didn’t look like the Alex I know after that crash.” Dani stroked his back through the blanket, and Alex leaned into his touch.

“You don’t know me.” Alex shrugged, the bed creaking as he slowly sat up, his gaze avoiding Dani’s as he focused on his hands.

The last thing he wanted was to see the disappointment on Dani's face.

He knew that the way he'd acted after the crash was wrong, that he'd let his anger get the better of him, and now he just felt embarrassed about it all.

“I do, you’re a kind and caring young man.” Dani brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead, and Alex blushed, even after all this time, he wasn’t used to compliments. Especially not ones from his childhood hero.

“Nice guys don’t become champion.”

Dani reached out for his hand, and Alex thought about refusing to touch him, but it felt nice to have the simple comfort of physical affection.

“Jorge’s nice, underneath that ‘I’m a tough guy who doesn’t need anyone’ act.”

Alex snorted in laughter, and Dani smiled, taking it as a win.

“And I know you’ll have a hard time believing this, but Valentino can be a nice guy when he wants to.”

“He’s all mind games and petty rivalries.” Alex tried not to frown, but any mention of Valentino was like someone poking an open wound.

Dani sighed, biting at his lip, and Alex felt bad for making him feel worse, when Dani had come here to cheer him up.

“Okay… Vale’s nice if he likes you, but if he doesn’t… he can be an asshole.”

“He used to like me, but after everything that happened with Marc… he hasn’t spoken to me since.” Alex sniffed, determined not to waste any more tears on him. “I was just collateral damage.”

“I’m sorry.” Dani pulled him into a hug, surrounding him with warmth as he stroked his back.

“Why are you sorry? You’ve always been nice to me.”

“It’s not fair that you got dragged into all of that, just because Marc’s your brother.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

“It really isn’t.” Dani winced as he sat back, and Alex rested his hand gently over Dani’s collar bone, wishing that he could take his pain away.

“I just feel like a failure.” Alex hung his head, he could never say anything like that in front of Marc, but he knew that Dani understood.

“No, you’re not.” Dani tilted his head up, staring into his eyes, and Alex felt small and vulnerable. “Say it.”

“I’m not a failure,” Alex said mockingly, and he knew he was being cheeky, but he couldn’t help himself, he just needed to wallow in his own self-pity for a while.

“I just wish I had lots of titles, and records.”

“That’s not what makes you a champion.” Dani pointed at himself, and Alex smiled, but it faded as the negative thoughts returned.

“I’ve been so close to the title so many times and yet I’ve got nothing to show for it.”

“The fact that you keep trying, racing your hardest through injuries and personal difficulties, that’s what makes you a champion.”

“I just wish it was easier sometimes.”

Dani nodded in agreement, but they both knew, if it was easy, it wouldn’t be as fun.

“You have to learn to accept the things you cannot control.”

“Thank you, Jorge.” Alex giggled, and Dani stuck his tongue out, before pulling him into another hug.

“Don’t tell Marc, but you’re my champion.” Alex pressed his finger to his lips, and Dani mimed zipping his lips shut.

Alex stifled a yawn, exhaustion catching up with him after a long and tiring day.

Dani placed a soft kiss on his forehead, and Alex couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you, for everything.”

“Sleep well, champion.”

*

Dani was barely through the door of his motorhome when Marc pounced on him.

Normally Marc wearing nothing but his boxers meant only one thing, but the frown lines wrinkling his forehead said that he had other things on his mind.

“How is he?”

“He’s calmer now, he just needed to sulk for a bit.” Dani slipped off his shoes, Marc bouncing on the spot as he waited for him to slink out of his clothes before asking any more questions.

Dani got comfy in bed, Marc cuddling in under his arm as he looked up at Dani, wide eyes waiting for him to speak, and when he didn't say anything, Marc broke the silence.

“I wish I could comfort him.” 

“You don’t understand what it’s like to give it your all, and still fail.”

“You’re not a failure.” Marc cuddled in closer, his soft hair tickling his ear.

“I’m not, but I don’t have all the wins and championships you do to show off to the world.”

“That’s not what makes you a champion.”

“That’s what I said to Alex.” Dani snorted in laughter, they were more similar than they wanted to admit.

“You know you’re my champion.”

“I do.”

“And I love you.” Marc leant in for a kiss, and Dani felt like the luckiest man in the world.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)
> 
> If anyone has prompts they want written or is looking for writing inspiration - there's a motorsport prompt meme up and running both [here on ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/MotorsportPromptMeme/profile) and [on dreamwidth](https://motorsportpromptmeme.dreamwidth.org/)!


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